QCHS student wins public parks tennis crown

Max Arkans captured the 2022 National Public Parks Tennis Championship in the under 16 singles division.
Posted on 08/31/2022
Max Arkans holds the trophy following his National Public Parks Tennis Championship triumph in the under 16 singles division.By Gary Weckselblatt

As students return to school from summer vacation, Quakertown Community High School junior Max Arkans certainly has a lot to talk about.

Max, who completed his sophomore season with a 13-0 record last spring and finished second in the Suburban One League Liberty Division Singles Championships, was the first Panther to win a match at the District One level.

To prove that was no fluke, this summer he captured the 2022 National Public Parks Tennis Championship in the under 16 singles division, which included a semifinal triumph over top seed Mark Lancaster, of two-time undefeated state champion Lower Merion High School.

“Any time you go against someone from Lower Merion, you know it’s going to be a hard match because you’re competing against a top caliber player in the state,” Max said. “Knowing how good they really are and to beat them feels really great.”

Beth Perez, Quakertown’s boys' tennis coach, described the Panthers' top player as “scrappy” and “very consistent.”

“Max hits a lot of balls back, which frustrates his opponent,” she said. “He never gives up, and works hard.”

Max began playing tennis at the age of 5 and has continued to grow his game by competing in Bucks County programs and tournaments. “I caught on quick,” he said. “Winning a lot helped build my confidence and I wanted to keep playing.”

As well as he’s performed on the tennis court, Max is also on the QCHS bowling team. Last year his average was 170. He’s also no slouch in the classroom. Max took Advanced Placement Human Geography as a freshman, AP Seminar, and AP World History as a sophomore and is taking AP Spanish Language and Culture, AP US History, AP Physics, and AP Psychology this year.

He believes those courses and his tennis ability will serve him well in college where he plans to study sports management or the USTA’s Professional Management program. But for now, he’s enjoying tennis at the high school level so much that he signed on as a manager for the girls' team. The coaches thought so much of his tennis prowess that they asked him to help coach the singles players.

“Max is a very talented player and we're lucky to have him working with us throughout the season,” girls tennis coach Jennifer Wolfe said. “We really value his insight and high level of playing and the girls have really been benefiting from working with him this season.”

Gary Weckselblatt, QCSD Director of Communications, writes about the people and the programs that impact the Quakertown Community School District. He can be reached at 215-529-2028 or [email protected].
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